Gear

In collaboration with Mamiya, PhaseOne updated the 645 SLR line this week with the new 645DF+. The camera features improved autofocusing, overall better reliability, and a battery system that can last for -- get this -- 10,000 photos!

Our sources have cued us in on the impending release of a new Lowepro DSLR travel bag called the Rover Pro AW, and from what we can see this thing looks pretty sweet. We anticipate two different sizes, the 45L and the 35L, which goes in line with what Lowepro has done in the past. It looks to be a mountain-climbing, hiking, and otherwise sporty outdoorsy bag that is tailored for that "rough-and-tumble" photographer.

Here's a little interesting development: Starting immediately, all newly produced interchangeable lenses from Sigma will be designed for and organized into one of three product categories: Contemporary, Art and Sports. Sigma is also launching three new lenses. Haven't seen this from anyone done quite the way Sigma is going at it. So what does it mean?

Now this caught me by surprise: Google has apparently acquired Nik Software, a photo preset tool that is a giant in the industry. What does this mean for Google's goals? Who is to say. What we can say is that Nik likely got a fantastic deal out of the process.

With the video capabilities of DSLRs constantly increasing, we have come to expect a lot from new releases. The Canon 6D doesn't disappoint. Much like the newest Nikon D800 you'll have more creative control over depth of field as well as full manual control over exposure and audio levels. Check this sample footage from the recently announced Canon 6D. Do you think it competes with the Canon 7D or the 5DMK III?

So you saw the 6D and loved it. I don't blame you, there is a lot to love. If you wanted more than your current crop-sensor camera, but couldn't see yourself using the 5D MK III, then maybe the 6D suddenly looked extremely appealing. Well you can get your order in now to make sure you get it on release day and have it in your hands before it sells out.

When the original 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens came out, it quickly became the go-to, do everything lens of choice for almost every Canon photographer I knew. Yes, we all had our prime favorites, but if we needed a workhorse that we could rely upon to do-it-all or only had the space to bring one lens, we grabbed for our 24-70. The original is still considered to be an amazing lens, and it's no wonder that it's one of the toughest lenses to find used on the market. Needless to say, I am excited about the upgraded 24-70mm L II.

Here it is Canon faithful: the Canon 6D! We've been hearing a lot about what this camera could be, the rumored specs, and the possible pricing for the past couple months, and that all became real this morning. The Canon 6D is packed with a whole lot to love, 20.2 megapixel, ISO range from 100-25600, Digic 5+, 11-point AF, and a 3-inch LCD all at a price that we were anticipating yesterday: $2099 USD.

Whoopsie. Looks like Adorama is getting ready and might have put just a little too much out there before launch. They even allowed it to be preordered for a time, Canon Rumors is reporting. It looks like we should see an official announcement tonight, but until then the pricing was leaked, and it's more than we were expecting at $2099 US retail.

Sekonic will have a new meter series for Photokina, including the L-478D and L-478DR. What's new about these? These are the first meters with a beautiful color touch screen. Supposedly, there's never been an easier light meter to use...

Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is a prototype of the ultra wide-angle prime lens designed for use with cameras fitted with APS-C/DX sensors. Its extremely short focus length and rectilinear imaging system ensure extra wide angle of view amounting to 110 degrees (~107 degree for Canon version). As a result the lens is a comprehensive tool for architecture and landscape shooting. New Samyang 10mm 1:2.8 ED AS UMC CS is similar to the 35mm system lens with 15mm or 16mm focal length in the case of Canon APS-C cameras.

Rolleiflex is among the most respected medium format photographic equipment companies in the world, producing extremely precise and durable gear for professionals demanding the most accurate results -- all at a cost, of course. Don't think they're not ready for Photokina 2012 with new options for both film and digital platforms, however.

Arca-Swiss is set to show a gaggle of new products for large format photographers at Photokina next week. From ball heads to cameras, there is kind of a lot to go through. That said, let's take things one at a time.

New Canon 6D specs have been leaked, and they show a 20 megapixel sensor, full frame, APS-C sized body with built in WiFi and GPS among other notable features. Oh, and the rumored price is under $2000.

Hasselblad has announced a new tethering solution for the H4D medium format camera, and it's a simple firmware update. So those of you who have been wanting to shoot directly into Lightroom now have a quick and easy way to do that with your Hasselblad.

Brenthaven is not a brand that photographers might think of when shopping for their next camera pack. I personally use Lowepro, but I know that Kata, ThinkTank, and InCase are all quite popular. Now Brenthaven, who is more known for media bag accessories for products like the iPhone and iPad, is trying to shimmy their way into this tight market with their new BX2 line.

Pre Orders through BH Photo have started today.
Pre-order the D600 Body
Pre-order the D600 and 24-85mm VR Lens Kit
Pre-order the WU-1b Wireless Adapter
Pre-Order the UT-1 Soon Here
Pre-Order the Nikon MB-D14 Vertical Grip Here

Or order here from Amazon.

Find more info about the D600 here.

Whether or not this is the camera for you, the Nikon D600 (early BH preorders here) is certainly one of the most anticipated cameras of the year and, just in time for the holiday season, is sure to be in many of your hands by the new year. All the specs, the price, and opinions after the break.

Most of us have been waiting since the day the iPhone 4s came out to hear what the iPhone 5 was going to be like. Well it is finally here. Today Apple officially announced the new iPhone 5 and my oh my does it look nice. A new 4 inch screen which is rated the most saturated and accurate screen on the market today to deliver the richest looking and highest quality images and movies.

Samsung Electronics America Inc. announced the NX1000, the first compact system cameras (CSC) with built-in Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi connectivity is available at the touch of a button, thanks to a dedicated Smart Link Hot Key on the top of the NX1000. Available in black, white and pink, the NX1000 offers extreme portability and convenience combined with the power to capture premium photos and videos that are the standard of Samsung’s NX Series. A great introduction into the CSC category, the NX1000 is available now from Samsung retailers, priced at $699.99 MSRP.

The new full frame VG900 and its smaller-sensor sibling, the VG30, were announced today. Alongside Sony's other announcements, the VG900 is now the third camera to use the a99 DSLR's 24-megapixel sensor (the other being the compact RX1)...

Okay, I feel guilty already. I love Nikon, and Canon has their perks, too. But I really do hope both companies can take a clue from Sony. The a99 is a hell of a camera -- read on...I promise you'll be pleasantly (if oddly) surprised.

We were discussing the rumors over the past 48 hours, and now we have all the juicy details to think over as Sony has officially announced the RX-1 as the world's first full frame compact digital camera. The new Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1 digital camera packs an advanced 35mm full-frame 24.3 MP Exmor CMOS sensor and Carl Zeiss T*t 35mm f/2.0 fixed lens into a highly portable, lightweight camera body.

We were anticipating it, and here it is: With a brand new, sleek design and enhanced control capabilities, Sony claims the new Sony NEX-6 camera packs all the imaging power, shooting responsiveness, handling and operability of a DSLR into a pocket-sized mirrorless camera.

While some of these specs don't seem right, it's likely that many will in fact be accurate. And on the heels of the Nikon D600 leak, this could be quite a competitor, but price might be a bit of an inhibitor, seeing as it'll certainly be in a different class. The question is, will people care?

Nikonrumors.com reports on a leak that has all the Nikon D600 info we've been waiting for! Check out how this new camera can help you enter into the full-frame market.

Many folks already don't trust third party lenses, which is a shame because there are a lot of great options out there. Rokinon doesn't have the established name recognition that the other major players do, but that doesn't stop them from putting themselves out there. With this new Rokinon 24mm T1.5 Cine Lens, they might just get some attention.

Before Photokina, Pentax decided to flood us with a slew of new products yesterday. Read on for new lenses, bodies, and other goodies...

Hasselblad announced their new H5D series medium format cameras. The H5D features a modernized design and a complete new electronic engine to pave the way for ultimate quality imaging, for print ready JPEG files, and for a smooth and intuitive user interface. The camera is billed by the Sweden-based company as "the latest step in the evolution of the best high-end camera system in the world."

You remember Project Impossible right? The self admittedly "crazy" group of former Polaroid employees who banded together to buy the last remaining Polaroid factory in their attempt to save instant film for the future? Yeah, those totally awesome folks are trying to get funding for their latest project that brings digital images to the physical world: Instant Lab.

Canon just recently released their newest model of the one man Cinema Camcorder EOS C100. The camera boasts a some new features not found in it's predecessor, the Canon C 300 such as One Shot AF, Push Auto Iris, a built-in microphone and non-compression HDMI out with superimposed timecode and 2:3 pull down marker.

Today, Redrock Micro announced the new ultraCage | blue for the Canon EOS C100, the first support cage designed specifically for the C100. Built in partnership with Canon for the premiere at IBC 2012, the ultraCage C100’s form-fitting design matches the ergonomics and size of the C100, adds needed support and mounting features and minimizes bulk and weight.

Now this is an unusual bit of rumor news: Sony is apparently on the verge of unveiling a new pocked-sized digital camera, except that unlike the others out there this one has a full frame sensor. If this is true (which it probably is), though it may not have immediate acceptance due to price inhibition, it shows that we are quickly on our way to full frame sensors becoming more common.

Shot entirely on a Nikon D7000, wedding photographer Dieter Chaney did something I never thought was possible. Having free time during the dinner break, he was able to edit his favorite images using the Snapseed App (from Nik Software) right on his ipad. He later displayed them in a slideshow for all of the wedding guests to see. How's that for instant gratification?

Even if we’ve barely been able to set our eyes on one, we still all love the RED camera, don’t we? Well RED just announced a new monochrome-only version...

Samyang Optics is about to release a new lens with the perspective control function — Samyang T-S 24mm 1:3.5 ED AS UMC. The official product presentation will take place on September 18th 2012, during international photographic Photokina fairs held in Cologne.

If you want a nice, all-metal, manual focus lens for your DSLR, Zeiss is pretty much your first stop. Yet until now, the T* 2/100 Makro-Planar was the most telephoto option available...

Blackmagic Design today announced a second model of the Blackmagic Cinema Camera that features passive Micro Four Thirds lens (MFT) mount, so customers now have an even greater choice of lens options when shooting. The new Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT model supports any Micro Four Thirds with manual iris and focus, and is also easily adapted to other lens mounts such as PL via third party adapters.

Since its launch in early 2012, Fujifilm has received customer feedback regarding the X-Pro1's performance. Fujifilm has listened carefully to these comments. By installing the new firmware, consumers will see a significant improvement in Auto Focus speed, manual focus and processing/writing speeds. Read on to learn about the updates included and link where to find it when it comes available on September 18, 2012.

Last week we showed you some leaked images of a new Fujifilm camera, and those images have come to fruition in the now available for pre-order Fujifilm X-E1! Oh, and it has a viewfinder. Get it in all black, or with a little silver for style.

Blackmagic Design today announced that ARRI, the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of professional motion picture equipment, has introduced Ready to Shoot Kits for Blackmagic Cinema Camera, a realization of what was hinted/shown at NAB earlier this year.

Hey guys, Paul here. Today is a busy day of packing for me. I'm shooting 41 shows for New York Fashion week and my plane leaves bright and early. I will share my experience with all of you as soon as I get back. For now, I wanted to share a quick down and dirty solution to shooting product shots, or any subject for that matter, especially when you have the client present in the studio... or garage in my case.

Canon faithful, the wait appears to finally be over for the 24-70mm f/2.8 L II, which is expected in stock September 13. The original 24-70 L, arguably one of the best telezoom lenses for Canon, has been sold out for quite some time in expectation of this new lens.

FS Reader Clifford Pate brought these images to our attention, asking if the DSLR Russuian cosmonaut Gennady Padalka was using on the International Space Station was a Nikon or a Canon. That legendary DSLR battle aside, it's cool to see how the cosmonauts work with a DSLR, and the kind of equipment that goes into the process (beyond just the camera).

I've always been more afraid of human error than a memory card error and because of this I always shoot weddings with 1 card per camera. Now that I shoot with D800s, the 36mp raw files require a 64gb card per camera. In 8 years I've shot hundreds of weddings and I've never had any sort of card error and I've never lost a file. What about you?

Sigma Corporation of America has announced that the Sigma DP1 Merrill compact digital camera will be available in the United States in mid-September for the retail price of $999. Check the specs, read the deets, and decide if you're going to grab this nifty little beast.

It's easy to just toss aside the news of the new Sony action cam as "late to the game" or "too late to matter." However, I beg that you give this little guy a chance, and maybe think a little bit about what it means for the industry.

If you haven't already upgraded to Lightroom 4 or Photoshop CS6, there is hardly a better time than now. You can grab both programs for the screaming deal of $389. Adobe Photoshop is normally $700 alone, so if this was just a Photoshop sale it would be an insanely good price. Even if you own one of these programs, I'm sure you have a buddy who could use the other.

We discussed a teaser that Sony put out earlier about their new action cam a while back, but it's finally here! Yet another contender in this segment for the action junkie...

We have a few more specs now that we're getting closer to Photokina, and they're pretty exciting... Get ready for an entirely new and incredibly affordable full-frame camera!